Driving-rein



(No Model.)

W. S. BOWIE.

DRIVING REIN.

No. 300,564 Patented June 1'7, 1884.

\x iii as s E E. W'WZM ilniTnn STnTns Pair,fsriT )l AINE.

DRlVlNG-REEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,56 dated June 17, 1884.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, XVILLrAr'r S. Bowrn, o Gardiner, county of Kenn ebec, State of Maine, have invented an Improvement in Driving Reins, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to that class of driving-reins which are connected at one end with some fixed part of the saddle or harness, and which extend to the bit and back to the driver, serving the double purpose of driving and check rein. In this my invention the reins are provided with buttons, stops, or projections applied thereto, which serve the one set to act as a stop and prevent the head of the horse from being drawn or thrown up above a certain height, the other set, when used, preventing the horses head from being thrown down below a certain point. I have also provided a clasp which may be readily applied to the ring or cheek-piece of any usual bit, and embrace the lines at or near the buttons or pro- .25 jections referred to.

Figure 1 represents a combined driving and check rein applied in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a piece of one of the reins with one each of the two sets of buttons, stops, or projections upon it on a larger scale. Fig. 3, an enlarged detail showing the bit with parts of the reins united therewith in accordance with my invention; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 rep resent in different views my improved bit and rein clasp.

The bit and rein clasp A, as herein shown, is comp oscd of two parts, a a, pivoted together at a, and provided with the spaces a" a to receive the ring 1/01 the bit B, and the reins B, respectively, one end of each of the said reins being preferably joined together and attached to the water hook 20, attached to the saddle s, the other ends of the reins being held by the driver. Each rein has applied to it a button, stop, or projection, b, shown as composed of semi-cylindrical block-s attached thereto by suitable screws, 2, extending from one into the other.

To apply my invention the clasp will be opened, as shown in Fig. 5, and the part a will be extended through the ring 1) of the bit, and the one of the reins will be held up to the bit, so that as the clasp is closed into the position shown in Fig. 4 it will embrace the ring of the bit in the spaces a and the rein in the spaces a", as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, each button or stop 6 being above the clasp. The buttons 2) will beinore or less near that end of the reins connected with the water-hook according to the requirements of the horse to be driven. The length of the parts of the rein from the water-hook to the button or stop 0 will be adjusted to be a little shorter than the length of check-rein, which would be necessary with a common check-rein to keep the horses head at the proper height, the distance which the button or stop Z) is thus left above the clasp or ring being according to the nature of the horses mouth, the said button,

when the reins are pulled by the driver, gov- I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact shape or construction of the buttons or stops on the rcins,or to the exact means to connect the reins with the bit, so that the movement ol'thchead of the horse may be restricted or kept within certain prescribed limits; but I prefer to employ an open link substantially such as shown, the two halves having suitable shoulders and notches to iit'one into or against the other to keep the clasp closed, as shown in Fig. 4.

I claim- 1. A united driving and check rein provided with two sets of attached buttons, stops, or projections, to restrict the upward and downward movements of the bit and head of a horse,

combined with a clasp or link to connect the bined with a clasp to connect the bit and rein reinbetween the attached buttons with the'bit, and co-operate with the said button, substanto operate substantially as described. tantially as described. a

' 2. A combined driving and check rein pro In testimony whereof Ihave signed niynamc I 5 5 vided near the bitwith a button, stop, or pro- I to this specification in the presence of two subjection attached thereto by a screw, and adaptscribing witnesses. ed to prevent the head ofthe horsefrom being lowered, substantially as described.

3. The united driving and check rein pro- WM. s'. BOWIE.

XVitnesses:

1o vided each side the horses head with a butl J. G. WHITE,

ton, stop, or projection, b, and the bit, COIll- E. A. WILLIAMs. 

